Screen



Jam@ 5, 1923. 11,458,635@

J.N. HILL SCREEN Filed July 22; *1921 2 Sheens-Sheet l INVENTOR June 5, E923. 31,45856,

J. N. HILL SCREEN Filed Jgly 22 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented f.lime 5, i923.

naar ra tragt JONAS N. HILL, OF DEEP RUN, NORTE: CAROLINA.

SCREEN.

Application filed July 22, 1921. Serial No. 486,916.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JONAS N. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Deep Run, in the county of Lenoir and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Screens, of Lwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shields for the heat conducting pipes vin tobacco barns, the

general obj ect of the invention being to provide means for preventing loose leaves or stalks of tobacco from falling upon the pipes and thus causing fires.

Another obj ect of the invention is to make the shields of wire mesh so as to not interfere with the circulation of the heated air j and to make them adjustable so that they can be used in different sizes of barns.

A further object of the invention is to provide spring means for supporting the shields.

This inventionl also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tobacco barn showing my invention in use.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View of a barn equipped with my invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the shields.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view through a part of a shield.

As is well known in the art, furnaces are provided for supplying heat to tobacco barns in order to hasten the curing of the tobacco therein, pipes being usedl to carry the products of combustion from the furnace through the barn in order to cause an even distribution of the heated air throughout the barn. There is great liability of lire in such an arrangement due to leaves falling upon the hot pipes and catching' on fire. In order to eliminate this danger I provide shields which are placed above the pipes to prevent the leaves from ldropping thereon.

In the drawings. the is shown at A,

the furnace at B and the circulating pipes at C, the supporting strips for the tobacco being shown at D. The shields are indicated at l and, as shown, these shields are located above the circulating pipe C and below the bottom supporting strip I) so that any leaves falling from the tobacco supported by said strips will be caught by these shieldsl and thus be prevented from touching the hot pipes.

These shields are each composed of a section 2 of wire .mesh which has one end secured between the superimposed strips 8, said strips being suitably secured together. The other end of the section is held between the strips 4: which are detachably connected together by the bolts 5 so that these strips can be adjusted on the section in order to adjust the length of the section to suit the width of the barn in which it is to be used. Coil springs 6 are suitably connected with the strips 3 and 4 whereby the screen is given a cushioning action which will materially eliminate breakage of the tobacco leaves when they fall thereupon and these springs are provided with eyes 7 for engaging hooks 8 which are placed inthe walls of the barn. Cross strips 9 are connected with each section at spaced intervals to prevent the section vfrom sagging. Some of these cross strips can be connected with the cross beams of the barn by the hooked rods 10. As shown in Figure 4 the coil springs are connected with the strips by having a part of the wire passed through a hole 11 formed in the strip and bent over, as at 12, to prevent it from being withdrawn.

It will thus be seen that the sections may be adjusted to suit the size of barn in which they are to be used and as many sections can be used to completely cover the heating pipes so as to prevent loose leaves or other parts of the tobacco hanging in the barn from coming in contact with the hot pipes or with the furnace. The springs will hold the screens in stretched condition and the strips 9 will prevent sagging of the screens.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within .the Scope @i the appendedrlaim.

What I claim is A shield fol: the hea-tngifppes @tobacco barnsfeo-(Inprising aasecti'on' of' `-W'iire mesh, superimposed Strips having the ends of each 5 section secured therebetween, holte passing through the strips ofn'efend,` Whereby'ft-he Y screenmay be adjustably associated themwith, coil springs carried by thestrips 'for securing the sections at the side Walls ofthe barn and to provide a cushioning means for the falling @basco leavee Cross .Strips Secured to' each section `to prevent sag'gngv of the Screen and hookedl rods connected with some of said cross pieces and the cross beams of the'banrespeetively.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

JONAS N. HILL. 

